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Have questions or resources regarding Khmer Culture? This forum is all about the Kingdom of Cambodia's culture. Khmer language, Cambodian weddings, French influence, Cambodian architecture, Cambodian politics, Khmer customs, etc? This is the place. Living in Cambodia can cause you to experience a whole new level of culture shock, so feel free to talk about all things related to the Khmer people, and their traditions. And if you want something in Khmer script translated into English, you will probably find what you need.

Could you send that as well to me Cambo?(Yes I will never call you the General lol )

I agree of course with my limited learning I have done, plus teaching my khmer gf the difference between fart and fuck is hard. Don't ask why she knows the latter one but she taught my the khmer so I wanted to teach her as well lol. Also difference between paper and pepper. Also granted sometime we can be tripped up on the sound if we don't listen right but T's seem to be hard, she always wants to put a S sound on the end. And K, same she wants to put an S on the end.

Of I have to share this, he teacher (khmer) taught her mosquito. One night she said "mop potato bite me". I'm like wtf? "Is that Khmer/English combo? And how in the hell does a potato bite you?" lol she actually still says that just to laugh.

And another thing, it's really true, the hardest language to learn is not English or Chinese. It the language most different from your own. Like for us Spanish is very simple to learn. And for Khmer it's a easy to learn Thai or Vietnamese. Because of the similarity of the language. I was showing a Bengali friend of mine a Khmer language app to learn letters and he said that it's pretty much the same sounds that Bengali language has. Btw that Khmer app for my iPad is really good, if you have one to download, I forget the price. It's called simply "LearningKhmer" and another one is "Speak Khmer". Both I feel very good apps. Especially for me when I travel and in my hotel at night.

And another thing, it's really true, the hardest language to learn is not English or Chinese. It the language most different from your own. Like for us Spanish is very simple to learn. And for Khmer it's a easy to learn Thai or Vietnamese.

StroppyChops wrote:First lesson last night, starting out with an hour a day, five days a week, at least four months. The tutor has us learning the alphabet, starting with consonants.

I really sympathise, but I would not do this.

Vocabulary and key phrases: market, transport, greetings, my family etc are what you need.

The other stuff should come later for adults.

I did a class at an NGO and the teacher didn't want to do the class, he got very technical, I suspect out of psite. Almost everyone dropped out.

Then we changed to a female tutor who only taught us vocab/phrases. Big improvement.

I completely disagree that it isn't a good idea to learn to read. Once you can read you have a plethora of cheap books to use that don't have English transliterations. You will also be able to understand sounds that can not be easily approximated by romanization.
Also the fact that every sign in in Cambodia basically becomes a flash card is also useful.

Don't know the word for tailor? just read the sign above the tailor shop. I found that reading the signs for businesses where they have English and Khmer helpful to learn what the sounds are. Sometimes the signs will not be the same as what they say in English but with a little practice you will be able to know when they are the same and you have a pronunciation good when the signs are just phonetic approximations of the English words. Learning the letters in very common signs is a great way to reinforce reading skills. For example try to learn the letters on a stop sign (don't remember if Cambodian stop signs are indeed in both languages, but you get the idea) When you learn those letters you will see them everyday and it isn't possible to forget.

As far as writing goes I don't see it being that useful. The spelling irregularities make it unpredictable at times, making it much harder to write than read. The selection of vowels is also a pain in the ass. To learn to read is not that difficult.

Good luck, you will be over your initial frustration with the script in around 3 months if you apply yourself.

Now that we're able to parse simple words it's a lot more fun and far less frustrating. You're right on the vowel selection, not a lot of logic there yet. Certainly no regrets about learning to read and write, despite the gnashing if teeth.

And another thing, it's really true, the hardest language to learn is not English or Chinese. It the language most different from your own. Like for us Spanish is very simple to learn. And for Khmer it's a easy to learn Thai or Vietnamese. Because of the similarity of the language.

Right Khmer Thai and Laos are very similar to each other, but completely different to Vietnamese.

បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.

Wow, it surprised me so many CEO members used to learn khmer, not only how to speak, but also how to write. I think it is a good idea if i write anything in Khmer script and post on here. So everyone can practise their reading skill.

បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.

Samouth wrote:Wow, it surprised me so many CEO members used to learn khmer, not only how to speak, but also how to write. I think it is a good idea if i write anything in Khmer script and post on here. So everyone can practise their reading skill.

Samouth wrote:Wow, it surprised me so many CEO members used to learn khmer, not only how to speak, but also how to write. I think it is a good idea if i write anything in Khmer script and post on here. So everyone can practise their reading skill.

Samouth wrote:Wow, it surprised me so many CEO members used to learn khmer, not only how to speak, but also how to write. I think it is a good idea if i write anything in Khmer script and post on here. So everyone can practise their reading skill.

ខ្ញំុយល់ព្រមដែរ អរគុណច្រើន

Good one Jacobincambodia. i think there is a mistake in your sentence.Your wrote the word I wrongly. This is the correct one (ខ្ញុំ). However it is really great that you can write khmer.

Samouth wrote:Wow, it surprised me so many CEO members used to learn khmer, not only how to speak, but also how to write. I think it is a good idea if i write anything in Khmer script and post on here. So everyone can practise their reading skill.

ខ្ញំុយល់ព្រមដែរ អរគុណច្រើន

+ ១

Good i will try to post one soon.

បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។

If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.